PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly indoor track and field honors for the first week in February.
MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kahmari Montgomery * Sr. * Houston * Plainfield, Ill.
Montgomery earns his second-straight weekly honor after running the fourth-fastest 200-meter dash in the country. Facing two other top-10 teams (No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 8 Texas), Montgomery helped the No. 4 Cougars claim the team title at the Charlie Thomas Invitational with his first-place time of 20.63 seconds. A 400-meter dash specialist, Montgomery ran the 200m to work on his speed, as he clocked the second-fastest time in Houston history to win the event.
FEMALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kat Surin * Sr. * UConn * St. Jerome, Quebec
Surin ran two of the fastest times recorded in The American this season, placing first in the 400-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay at the Scarlet & White Invitational hosted by Boston University on Saturday. Surin clocked 53.19 seconds in the 400m to win the event and break the Huskies’ school record. Her time ranks No. 12 in the NCAA this season. Surin also ran the second leg of the 4x400m relay, completing her carry in 52.22 seconds to help UConn win the race with a time of 3:38.83. UConn, the 2018 conference 4x400m champion, leads the league and ranks No. 28 in the country this year with that time.
MALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Malik Snead * Sr. * UConn * Trenton, N.J.
Snead, the defending conference indoor triple jump champion, recorded a distance of 15.78 meters (51’9.25”) to win the New England title on Saturday. His mark, which tied the meet record formally held by another Husky, ranks 18th nationally and leads The American by over one foot. His first-place finish helped UConn win its 24th New England Championship, topping a field of 28 regional teams at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
FEMALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Loretta Blaut * Sr. * Cincinnati * Cincinnati, Ohio
Blaut collects her third American weekly accolade of the season after posting three of the best four jumps in the NCAA last week. Blaut, a four-time American champion and two-time national runner-up, set a facility record and tied her own conference, school and personal records with her first-place jump of 1.87 meters (6’1.5”) at the Charlie Thomas Invitational on Friday. Blaut’s mark is currently tied for the national lead this season.